The vaccination drive against COVID-19 was launched across Telangana on Saturday by administering the first dose to frontline health workers, to start with, marking the beginning of the possible end to the pandemic that has affected every walk of life since its outbreak.
Ministers, other elected representatives and officials launched the drive in different parts of the State. In Hyderabad, Minister for Industries, IT and Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao said people, particularly those undergoing the inoculation in the first phase, need not have any apprehensions, whatsoever, about the safety and side-effects of the COVID vaccine.
All elected representatives were ready to get the vaccine, but following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion they had stepped back as there was a need to cover the frontline warriors on priority basis. He hoped that the elected representatives would also have their turn soon, Mr. Rama Rao said after inaugurating the vaccination drive at Tilaknagar community health centre.
A few health officials, including Director of Government Medical College at Mahabubnagar Putta Srinivas and District Medical and Health Officer of Kamareddy Chandrasekhar were among those who volunteered to get the vaccine in the first phase as a measure to build confidence among the frontline warriors.
According to the reports reaching here, 3,962 out of the target 4,296 health workers were inoculated on Saturday and more health workers would be given the first dose of the vaccine on January 18. Speaking at different places, the Ministers appealed to people not to believe in misinformation being spread about the vaccine on social media. They warned against those spreading misinformation of serious action.
Along with Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy and Health Minister Eatala Rajender launched the drive in Gandhi Hospital here. Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Errabelli Dayakar Rao inaugurated the drive at MGM Hospital, Warangal. Later, he also launched the drive at Torrur in Mahabubabad district and Palakurthy in Jangaon district.
Besides, Ministers Satyavathi Rathod (Mahabubabad), A. Indrakaran Reddy (Nirmal), V. Prashanth Reddy (Nizamabad), G. Jagadish Reddy (Nalgonda), V. Srinivas Goud (Mahabubnagar), Vice-Chairman of State Planning Board B. Vinod Kumar, Government Chief Whip D. Vinay Bhaskar, several other elected representatives and officials launched the drive at different places.
Adverse reaction
In erstwhile Medak district, the vaccination programme was launched by Zilla Parishad chairperson V. Roja Sharma at Siddipet, Lok Sabha member K. Prabhakar Reddy at Sangareddy and MLA M. Padma Devender Reddy at Medak.
R. Sukanya, staff nurse, Urban Primary Health Centre at Indiranagar in Sangareddy district headquarters, was administered the first vaccine in the presence of Collector M. Hanumantha Rao and District Medical and Health Officer Ramoji Rathod. Following high blood pressure and vomiting, she was shifted to government hospital and later discharged after her condition normalised.
In Khammam district, the vaccination drive got off to a smooth start at six centres and four centres in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. Transport Minister P. Ajay Kumar launched the drive at district headquarters hospital in Khammam.